The Pentagon’s 2018 Civilian Casualties Report: What’s In It and What’s Next

The Pentagon’s latest annual report on civilian casualties, released this morning, lists shockingly low numbers of reported casualties that the Department of Defense has assessed as “credible,” reflecting a need for better processes for determining how many civilians the United States is killing. While the report contains some improvements in reporting standards and parameters, it illustrates the serious gaps that remain to be address by both the department and Congress.

Dan is Senior Advisor for CIVIC's US Program, where he engages US policymakers to promote the adoption of policies and practices that enhance the protection of civilians in conflict. Prior to CIVIC, Dan spent 16 years at the U.S. Department of State and in 2012, he created and led the Office of Security and Human Rights in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor.